Electric range



April 14, 1959 R. J. WOXMAN 2,882,382

ELECTRIC RANGE Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

His Attorney Fig.

April 1959 R. J. WOXMAN 2,882,382

ELECTRIC RANGE Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4s INVENTOR.

BY Robert J Wwrma n His Attorney United States Patent ELECTRIC RANGE Robert J. Woxman, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 19, 1957, Serial No. 678,849

7 Claims. (Cl. 219-37) This invention relates to an electric range and more particularly to a table-top or built-in type of range.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electric range and oven combination which occupies a minimum amount of space.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide an oven unit which may be placed on a counter top and which serves to house a plurality of surface units which are arranged to slide from a position beneath the oven compartment to a position on the counter-top adjacent the oven housing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a surface heating unit assembly which is mounted to slide sideways on a counter-top in such a manner that it may be moved out of sight when not in use and so as to leave the main counter-top clear for other uses.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention has been shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view showing the range installed in a modern kitchen; and

Figure 3 is a plan view with parts broken away showing the range installed on a kitchen counter.

Referring now to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, reference numeral generally designates the outer housing of an electric range which is adapted to be built into the wall of a kitchen or to have its bottom wall 21 rest on a counter such as the counter 12 of a modern kitchen. The cabinet 10 includes a conventional oven compartment 14 having an access door 16. A surface unit supporting housing 18 is slidably supported in a side recess 19 formed directly beneath the oven compartment 14. The arrangement is such that when the surface units 20 carried by the housing 18 are not in use the housing 18 may be moved into the recess 19 so as to conceal the surface units 20 and so as to leave the counter-top 12 clear for other uses. The counter-top 12 serves to support the weight of the housing 18 and any articles placed thereon when the surface units 20 are in use with the result that it is not necessary to provide any complicated support or base for supporting the weight of the surface unit assembly.

The surface units 20 are turned on and off by means of the usual control switches 22 located directly on the housing 18 as shown. For purposes of illustration the control switches 22 have been shown mounted in the front wall of the housing 18 whereas these control switches could be mounted in the top wall of the housing 18 or they could be located on a stationary part of the main housing 10. The end wall of the housing 18 serves as a door for the compartment 19 and is provided with a handle 24 for use in manipulating the housing 18 as it is moved in and out of the storage space in the bottom ure 3.

compartment 19 of the main housing 10. The surface heat ng unit assembly rests on the bottom Wall 21 when not in use.

The oven unit is of conventional construction and includes the usual heating means such as the element 30 which is adapted to be controlled by means of the control knob 32 located on the front wall of the cabinet 10 directly on one side of the oven door 16. A conventional time clock 34 has been provided as shown for turning on and off the oven at pre-selected times in accordance with well-known practice.

Power is supplied to the various surface heating units and the oven heating units through the power supply line 37 which leads to the terminal boxes 36 located adjacent the rear portion of the housing 10 as best shown in Fig- Suitable flexible leads 38 are provided between the movable surface units and the one terminal box 36 whereby it is possible to move the housing 18 in and out of the compartment 19 and to supply power to the surface units 20 when they are in use outside of the storage compartment 19. The oven timer, the oven heating units and the control switches are all of conventional design and need no further description. As shown in Figure 3, suitable insulation 40 is provided around the oven compartment in accordance with conventional practice.

For purposes of illustration the electric range has been shown built into a kitchen at a point below the overhead cabinets 42 and above the usual base cabinets 44. In the arrangement shown, a modern refrigerator 46 is mounted directly adjacent the one side of the housing 10 with the front of the refrigerator, the front of the base cabinets and the front of the range all arranged in substantially the same vertical plane. By virtue of the simplicity of this range it may be made very light in comparison to a conventional range whereby it can be transported from place to place with ease.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a housing adapted to rest on the counter-top in a kitchen and having an oven compartment therein, a plurality of surface-type electric heating units, and means for supporting said surface units for movement over said counter-top from a position directly beneath said oven compartment to a position adjacent one side of said oven compartment with a portion of said supporting means resting on said counter-top.

2. In combination, a housing adapted to rest on the counter-top in a kitchen and having an oven compartment therein, a plurality of surface-type heating units, means for supporting said surface units for movement over said counter-top from a position directly beneath said oven compartment to a position adjacent one side of said oven compartment with a portion of said supporting means resting on said counter-top, power supply means in said housing, and flexible power leads from said power supply means to said surface units.

3. In combination, a housing adapted to rest on the counter-top in a kitchen and having an oven compartment therein, a plurality of surface-type heating units, means for supporting said surface units for movement over said counter-top from a position directly beneath said oven compartment to a position adjacent one side of said oven compartment with a portion of said supporting means resting on said counter-top, power supply means in said housing, flexible power leads from said power supply means to said surface units, and switch means secured to said surface unit supporting means for controlling the flow of power to said surface units.

4. in combination, a main housing, means forming an insulated oven compartment having a front access opening in the upper portion of said housing, a plurality of surface-type electric heating elements, and an auxiliary housing for supporting said surface-type heating elements, said main housing having a storage compartment in the bottom portion thereof With a side access opening for receiving said auxiliary housing.

5. In combination, a main housing, means forming a fixed counter-top adjacent one side of said main housing, means forming an insulated oven compartment in the upper portion of said housing, oven heating elements dis posed in said oven, a plurality of surface-type heating elements, common power supply means for all of said heating elements, and an auxiliary housing for supporting said surface-type heating elements, said main housing having a recess in the bottom portion thereof, for receiving said auxiliary housing, said main housing having a side wall provided with an opening adjacent the lower edge thereof for slidably receiving said auxiliary housing, said auxiliary housing being movable onto said fixed counter-top so as to rest on said fixed counter-top while in use.

6. In combination, a main housing, means forming an insulated oven compartment in the upper portion of said housing, oven heating elements disposed in said oven, a plurality of surface-type heating elements, common power supply means for all of said heating elements, an auxiliary housing for supporting said surface-type heating elements, said main housing having a recess in the bottom portion thereof for receiving said auxiliary housing, said main housing having a side Wall provided with an opening adjacent the lower edge thereof for slidably re ceiving said auxiliary housing, first switch means for controlling the supply of power to said surface units carried by said auxiliary housing, and second switch means carried by said main housing for controlling the supply of power to said oven heating elements.

7. In combination, a main housing, means forming an insulated oven compartment in the upper portion of said housing, oven heating elements disposed in said oven, a

' plurality of surface-type heating elements, common power supply means for all of said heating elements, an auxiliary housing for supporting said surface-type heating elements, said main housing having a recess in the bottom portion thereof for receiving said auxiliary housing, said main housing having a side wall provided with an opening adjacent the lower edge thereof for slida'oly receiving said auxiliary housing, first switch means for controlling the supply of power to said surface units carried by said auxiliary housing, and second switch means carried by said main housingfor controlling the supply of power to said oven heating elements, said first and second switch means being disposed at the front of the housings on which each is supported' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,783 Kellogg Aug. 16, 1910 1,244,407 Avedisian Oct. 23, 1917 2,526,476 Ham Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 308,365 Germany Apr. 4, 1917 

